Author: Editor

The vast majority of accounting and tax firms plan to raise their fees next year, with many of them shifting from hourly billing to value-based pricing as costs rise, according to a new survey.The report, released Thursday by Ignition, polled 219 U.S.-based accounting firms using Ignition’s practice management software and found 80% of the firms plan to raise prices across their services in 2026. Over two-thirds (37%) of the firms plan to raise prices by 5%, while 30% of the firms plan to raise prices by 10%. It found 40% of the firms cited rising business costs as the main driver…

WH Smith Plc slumped the most on record after the discovery of an accounting error forced it to slash its profit outlook in North America, a major setback in a key growth market for the British retailer.The shares plunged as much as 42% in London trading, cutting the company’s market value to about £830 million ($1.1 billion).A financial review found an overstatement of about £30 million in expected headline trading profit for North America in the year ending Aug. 31, WH Smith said Thursday. The error came after it booked income from suppliers earlier than it should have. The board…

Poor response rates used to compile vital U.S. economic surveys have some pitching an unconventional solution: paying respondents to answer questions.It’s one of several ways economists have proposed the Bureau of Labor Statistics strengthen its data collection and compilation. Others include allowing it to use certain Internal Revenue Service business records and leaning harder on private data and artificial intelligence.There’s no simple solution for the statistical agency, which has long been trying to boost waning response rates among households and businesses. Skepticism about the accuracy of government statistics has been festering in recent years, but reached a fever pitch when…

Business clients are willing to pay 25% more for specialized accounting services, according to a new survey.TaxDome polled 353 businesses across the U.S. for its inaugural 2025 Niche Business Accounting Report and found that companies earning over $1 million are twice as likely to hire a niche accountant, compared to smaller businesses.”Niche specialization isn’t just an effective strategy for growth, though it’s certainly that as well,” Ilya Radzinsky, cofounder and chief product officer at TaxDome, said in the report. “It’s a signal to business clients
 that you understand what they’re up against, and that you’re built to help them win…

A “For Sale” sign outside a house in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSales of previously owned homes rose 2% in July compared with June to 4.01 million units, on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, according to the National Association of Realtors. Housing analysts had been expecting a slight decline. Sales were 0.8% higher than July 2024.These sales are counted by closings, so contacts likely signed in May and June, when the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage was in decline. That rate exceeded 7%…